Examination Blueprint

Qualifying Examination(QE) Blueprint

The QE consists of 240 multiple choice items, including 40 pre-test items that will not be scored. The domains are listed below with an approximate percentage of items from each domain. The tasks that may be assessed and the cognitive level to be tested are included below each domain.

Behavior guidance - 6%

Assess a patient's physical, psychological, and social development - Analyze/Evaluate
Evaluate pharmacologic options based on indications and contraindications - Analyze/Evaluate
Administer nitrous oxide analgesia, monitor, and manage adverse events - Understand/Apply
Provide care for patients under moderate or deep sedation (general anesthesia), monitor, and manage/follow protocol for adverse events - Understand/Apply
Prevent, assess, and manage patient pain - Analyze/Evaluate

Growth and development - 8%

Recognize the influence of genetics, anatomy, and embryology on the growth and development of the head, neck, and dentition - Remember
Identify dentofacial growth patterns - Understand/Apply
Determine the presence of a dental, skeletal, or functional abnormality - Understand/Apply
Determine the need for, and interpret the findings from a panoramic radiograph to assess growth and development - Analyze/Evaluate
Determine the need for and provide appliance for space maintenance - Understand/Apply
Identify the indications and mechanisms of interceptive appliances - Understand/Apply
Determine the need for, and interpret the findings from, a cephalometric analysis - Understand/Apply

Oral facial injury, emergency care and oral surgery - 10%

Assess and evaluate oral facial injuries, dental pain, and infections -Analyze/Evaluate
Evaluate, diagnose, and manage/treat dentoalveolar trauma including maxillary and mandible jaw fractures - Analyze/Evaluate
Evaluate, diagnose, and manage/treat the pulpal, periodontal and associated soft and hard tissues following traumatic injury - Analyze/Evaluate
Recognize and manage a soft tissue lesion - Understand/Apply
Manage a supernumerary tooth - Understand/Apply
Recognize indications for and manage decoronation of tooth - Understand/Apply
Manage of third molars - Understand/Apply
Manage adverse events and medical emergencies - Analyze/Evaluate

Diagnosis, oral pathology, oral radiology, and oral medicine - 10%

Identify systemic conditions contributing to oral conditions - Understand/Apply
Diagnose, manage, and explain the common pediatric oral/facial anomalies - Analyze/Evaluate
Diagnose, manage, and explain the common pediatric oral/facial pathological conditions - Analyze/Evaluate
Evaluate, diagnose, and manage dental attrition -Analyze/Evaluate
Select radiographic techniques and materials, and capture images following radiation hygiene practices - Understand/Apply
Identify the need for antibiotic therapy and prescribe antibiotics - Understand/Apply
Identify risk factors for, diagnose, and classify gingival and periodontal disease - Understand/Apply

Prevention and health promotion - 10%

Evaluate patient medical history - Understand/Apply
Evaluate risk for caries, periodontal disease, and trauma - Analyze/Evaluate
Provide diet counseling - Understand/Apply
Recommend fluoride type and treatment modality - Analyze/Evaluate
Establish recall/recare visits based on patient needs - Understand/Apply
Identify and classify enamel erosion and determine the etiology - Understand/Apply

Dental caries diagnosis, non-restorative caries management and restorative treatment - 23%

Recognize indications for and apply sealants for primary and permanent teeth - Understand/Apply
Manage minimally invasive restorative treatment for primary and permanent teeth and prescribe follow-up reassessment plan - Understand/Apply
Manage enamel erosion with preventive and restorative techniques for primary and permanent teeth - Understand/Apply
Manage hypoplastic and hypomineralized teeth in primary and permanent dentition - Understand/Apply
Restore primary and permanent teeth with amalgam - Understand/Apply
Restore primary and permanent teeth with composite - Understand/Apply
Restore primary and permanent teeth with glass ionomer - Understand/Apply
Restore primary and permanent teeth with stainless steel crown - Understand/Apply
Restore primary and permanent incisors with composite crown - Understand/Apply
Restore primary incisors, canines, and molars with zirconia crown - Understand/Apply
Identify the indications for prosthetic therapy in the primary and permanent dentition - Understand/Apply

Pulp therapy - 12%

Recognize indications for and perform vital pulp therapy in primary anterior teeth and molars - Understand/Apply
Recognize indications for and perform non-vital pulp therapy in primary anterior teeth and molars - Understand/Apply
Recognize indications for and perform vital pulp therapy in permanent anterior and posterior teeth - Understand/Apply
Recognize indications for and perform non-vital pulp therapies in permanent anterior teeth - Understand/Apply
Recognize indications for and understand the techniques for non-vital pulp therapies in permanent posterior teeth - Understand/Apply
Recognize indications for and understand the technique for apexogenesis - Understand/Apply
Recognize indications for and understand the techniques for apexification - Understand/Apply
Recognize indications for and understand the techniques for regenerative endodontics - Understand/Apply

Special health care needs - 14%

Recognize special health care needs (congenital or acquired) in patients and the challenges of providing dental care for individuals with these needs - Analyze/Evaluate
Identify and manage common oral manifestations often associated with special healthcare needs - Understand/Apply

Advocacy and education - 2%

Maintain social and cultural awareness during patient care - Understand/Apply
Advocate for patients to receive needed care and refer patients and guardians to social support resources, including community-based oral health programs and care opportunities - Understand/Apply
Participate at the local, state and/or national levels in organized dentistry in its advocacy for public health policy, legislation, and regulations to protect and promote the oral health needs of children. - Understand/Apply

Elements of pediatric dental practice - 5%

Employ principles and mechanisms of infection control and safety practices to ensure a safe patient care environment (by following professional organization guidelines and complying with local, state, and national standards/regulations) - Understand/Apply
Develop and follow protocols for clinical practice including safety, technology, privacy, licensing, malpractice, billing, and security - Understand/Apply
Develop and follow protocols for teledentistry including safety, technology, privacy, licensing, malpractice, billing, and security - Understand/Apply
Maintain privacy of protected health information according to HIPAA - Understand/Apply
Continually evaluate the practice for adherence to professional standards (e.g., evidence-based dentistry, practice, policies) - Analyze/Evaluate
Evaluate research articles for application to clinical practice - Analyze/Evaluate